Why did Tunisia and Egypts governments fall Will they become democracies

Why did Tunisia and Egypts governments fall Will they become democracies For several weeks, between December 2010 and March 2011, the world was treated to a show of uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt. Unlike the common military coup de tars, citizens of Tunisia and Egypt successfully depose long-ruling dictators through civil demonstrations. It all started in Tunisia in December 2010 when citizens joined a nationwide mass action protesting against President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali’s oppressive rule.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Why did Tunisia and Egypt’s governments fall? Will they become democracies? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More A few weeks later, Egyptians joined the dance protesting against President Hosni Mubarak oppressive rule. The results in both countries were the same; citizens through mass action managed to oust long ruling dictators. From an outward look, these countries seemed more developed compared to most African countries. Yet, their citizens bec ame so frustrated and desperate, so much so that they decided to fight for their own course. Therefore, the question is, why did these governments fall? The answer remains the same for both; lack of democracy characterized by dictatorship and oppression. We know of successful non-democratic countries like Iran and China, but the former, their rule was too much of authoritarian. Fortunately, citizens managed to bring down governments they believed were the main obstacle to their democracy. Nevertheless, do these events mark the beginning of democracy in Tunisia and Egypt? This essay, therefore, seeks to answer these two important questions. Reasons for the fall of Tunisia and Egypt’s governments Both Egypt and Tunisia’s governments had several similarities. To begin with, they both had the longest serving presidents in their history. Whereas President Ben Ali had ruled Tunisia for 23 years, President Hosni Mubarak had ruled Egypt for 30 years until the time of the fall of their governments. Their reign was characterized by dictatorship leaving very little space for democracy. However, their reign encouraged development of their nations, no wonder they enjoyed the support of the West. Nevertheless, why did these long-lived governments fall? The fall of Tunisia and Egypt’s governments was caused by both political and economic factors. Of great importance to this essay are the political reasons as discussed below. As had been mentioned, the lack of democracy is to blame for the fall of both Egypt and Tunisia’s governments. Democracy in practice denotes a form of government in which all citizens play an active role in the decision making process (Held, p. 12).Advertising Looking for research paper on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Every democratic society must portray the following key elements: popular sovereignty, equality before the law, separation of powe rs, individual freedoms, political tolerance, transparency and accountability, and rule of law (Held, p. 20). Democracy is more than just holding elections (Pipes, par. 2). It demands protection of the minority rights, enhancement of individual and political freedoms, independence of judiciary, political party pluralism, and the development of civil society (Pipes, par. 2). Did Tunisia and Egypt’s governments reflect these principles? Although Tunisia was a constitutional republic that encouraged representation of citizens through multi-party democracy, it had strong characteristic of dictatorship that had negative impact on human rights and freedoms. On the other hand, Egypt was a semi-presidential republic that maintained one-party rule. There were several concerns relating to democracy in both countries. First, both Tunisians and Egyptians expressed their concerns about lack of free elections. In Egypt, there was a growing concern about power inheritance. Credible sources reported that Hosni Mubarak started grooming his son, Gamal Mubarak, way back in 2000 to be his successor after his retirement in 2010 (Sobelman, p. 31). This arrangement was met with sharp criticism from political groups in the country, the majority of which were illegal given the lack of political party pluralism in the country. The possibility of power inheritance triggered the demand for multi-party politics to ensure that elections were free and fair. To the contrary, President Hosni Mubarak amended the constitution to ensure that Gamal would be the only presidential candidate (Sobelman, p. 34). Tunisia, on the other hand, had political party pluralism, but its elections were never free and fair, a strategy that made President Ben Ali remain in office for as long as he wanted. Democracy dictates fair and competitive elections that grant the people a chance to elect the leaders they consider best fit for the office. Power inheritance is an insult to democracy and with the electi ons first approaching and Hosni Mubarak’s health deteriorating; Egyptians would not want to have the same experience as Syria hence they decided to use the power of the majority to change the course of their politics just as Tunisians did. Second, both governments curtailed political freedoms. In Egypt, this was archived through the extension of emergency law. Enacted in 1967 following the Six-Day War, the law suspended individual freedoms including freedom of assembly and freedom of expression (Shehata, par. 23). Under the emergency law, police force was allowed to use excessive force, media houses could be censored, and the government could imprison individuals indefinitely without any proper reason (Shehata, par. 23). This resulted into increased police brutality, and long-term detention without trial. For instance, during a parliamentary election in December 2010, an estimated number of between 5,000 and 10,000 people were detained without trial (Press release, par. 7).Ad vertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Why did Tunisia and Egypt’s governments fall? Will they become democracies? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Police brutality was also widespread during Hosni Mubarak’s reign. According to the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights, Egypt recorded 567 cases of police torture, including 167 deaths during the period between 1993 and 2007 (Staff writer, par. 7). With such breach of human rights, it was prudent that citizens would fight for their course. In Tunisia, despite being a multi-party country, Ben Ali’s government thwarted any effort by opposing political parties and civil society to check it. Anybody who criticized the government would risk being detained. President Ben Ali even enacted a ban on political parties deemed unsavory. Such measures curtailed various political freedoms and were a direct insult to democracy. Democracy demands freedom of ass ociation and expression. President Ben Ali’s government must have been too much of a dictatorship and thus oppressive to the citizens. This can explain why Bouazizi’s self-immolation spontaneously caused nationwide protests that resulted into the fall of Ben Ali’s government. Tunisia’s government was sitting on a time bomb waiting to explode and Bouazizi’s self-immolation was like a switch on the circuit. Third, both governments grossly violated freedom of speech as provided for in democracy. President Hosni Mubarak’s reign was marked by frequent media censorship and detention of anybody who expressed any critical view on the operations of the government. This over restriction of the media denied the press a chance to report on government’s wrongdoings. The situation was the same in Tunisia. President Ben Ali’s government restricted media freedom through media regulation and censorships, despite the same government preaching pr ess freedom. Limiting a press is like denying citizens a right to information; a direct insult to democracy. Such levels of oppression must have been too much for citizens of these countries hence the witnessed uprisings that led to the fall of the oppressive governments. Last, Both Tunisia and Egypt’s governments were marred with corruption. Political corruption became the order of day in President Hosni Mubarak’s government with powerful businessmen allied to the ruling party rising to power and monopolizing Egypt’s business sector. As a result, they accumulated wealth and became the core players in Egypt’s economy. This created a perception among Egyptians that the nation’s wealth only benefited businessmen allied to NDP. In Tunisia, the situation was somehow similar. President Ben Ali and his first family ran the nation’s economy for their personal gain. President Ben Ali solely made all the key decisions concerning privatization and inv estment, despite the existence of well-defined liberal economic legislation in the country.Advertising Looking for research paper on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More As a result, his first family accumulated wealth in the key sectors of the economy leading to a perception that connections to the first family were necessary for business survival. In 2010, Egypt recorded a Corruption Perception Index of 3.1 whereas Tunisia had a CPI of 4.3 (Corruption Perception Index 2010, results table). The high level of corruption in Hosni Mubarak’s and Ben Ali’s governments angered citizens and hence, the fall of Tunisia and Egypt’s government. Prospects for democracy in Tunisia and Egypt Having outlined the underlying political causes of the fall of Tunisia and Egypt’s governments, I now shift my discussion to the future of these countries. The citizens nonviolently fought and defeated the governments they perceived oppressive and obstacles to their democracy. However, the question remains, could this be a new dawn in Arab world? Will these countries become democracies? From the recent uprisings, everyone would be quick to conclud e that Tunisia and Egypt have started a democratic journey and will soon become democracies. The demonstrations by citizens proved that they are democratic and are aware of their democratic rights. However, understanding the prospects for democracies in these countries requires a deeper understanding of the concept of democracy. From its definition, democracy is a fusion of two important ideologies, i.e., popular sovereignty and freedom (Mandelbaum, par. 3). Freedom as contained in democracy comes in three forms: political liberty, religious liberty, and economic liberty (Mandelbaum, par. 4). Here is where the challenge lays a head for both Egypt and Tunisia. Egypt is extremely Islam with well-organized Muslim groups that pose a threat to full democracy. For instance, Muslim Brotherhood is against religious liberty and rights of women. Should such extremists have access to power, then there will be very little room for liberty in Egypt (Benhenda, p. 10). Tunisia, on the other had, h as made some progress in protecting women’s rights, but is still largely Islam hence may reject religious liberty. These countries may enjoy popular sovereignty exercised through free and fair elections, but popular sovereignty without liberty in not genuine democracy. As Pipes (2011) maintained, democracy is much more than just holding elections (par. 2). Moreover, the establishment of liberty requires such institutions as legal system with impartial courts (Mandelbaum, par. 7) that are unfortunately lacking in both Egypt and Tunisia. A true democracy would mean a complete overhaul of the countries’ judicial system, which may take years to be achieved. Whether this will be possible is still unclear and we can only wait and see. Furthermore, the development of democracy requires free-market economy as have been witnessed in successful democracies in Asia and Latin America. Unfortunately, both Egypt’s and Tunisia’s economies are based on capitalism, whereb y individual’s economic prowess is determined by his political connections contrary to free-market economy hence not fit for democracy (Mandelbaum, par. 10). Nevertheless, both Tunisia and Egypt have some prospects for democracy. The citizens of both countries have proved that they are democrats through the recent uprisings. Egypt does not have many ethnic inclinations or even natural resources that have been the major obstacle to democracy in most Arab countries hence its democratization would be easy. However, Tunisia, have more prospects for democracy than Egypt. First, Tunisian elite have been demanding for political reforms since 1970s. Second, Unlike Egypt, Tunisia has made significant progress in protection human rights especially women’s rights. Third, the country has an extensive middle class that is well aware of their democratic rights hence a good foundation for democracy. Conclusion The uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt made a significant democratic step in t he Arab world. From political point of view, the demonstrations are largely attributed to the apparent lack of democratic space in these countries. As Marxists put it, a lack of democracy encourages thrive of all political vices hence an impetus for uprisings. The success of every nation requires existence of some level of democracy. However, whether Egypt and Tunisia will become democracies is a wait-and-see scenario. From the prevailing conditions, Tunisia has more prospects for democracy compared to Egypt. Benhenda, Mostapha. â€Å"Liberal Democracy and Political Islam: The Search for Common Ground† (2009). Politics, Philosophy Economics, Vol. 10, No 1, 2011. Islamic Law and Law of the Muslim World Paper No. 09-83. Print. Corruption Perception Index 2010. Transparency International, 2010. Web. Held, David. Models of Democracy (3rd ed.). Palo Alto, CA: Stanford University Press, 2006. Print. Mandelbaum, Michel. â€Å"Can Egypt Become a True Democracy?† Project Synd icate, 2011. Web. Pipes, Daniel. â€Å"Why Egypt Will not Soon Become Democratic.† State Brief Blog, 2011. Web. Press release (2010). Egypt: Keep Promise to Free Detainees by End of June: Joint Statement. Amnesty International. Web. Shehata, Samer. Egypt After 9/11: Perceptions of the United States. Contemporary Conflicts, 2004. Web. Sobelman, Daniel Gamal Mubarak, President of Egypt? Middle East Quarterly Vol. 8. 2 (2001):  pp.  31–40. Print. Staff writer (2007). Egyptian Police Sued for Boys Death. BBC News. Web.

Solidification Definition and Examples

Solidification Definition and Examples Solidification, also known as freezing, is a phase change of matter that results in the production of a solid. Generally, this occurs when the temperature of a liquid is lowered below its freezing point. Although the freezing point and melting point of most materials are the same temperature, this is not the case for all substances, so freezing point and melting point are not necessarily interchangeable terms. For example, agar (a chemical used in food and the laboratory)  melts at 85 C (185 F) yet solidifies from 31 C to 40 C (89.6 F to 104 F). Solidification is nearly always an exothermic process, meaning heat is released when a liquid changes into a solid. The only known exception to this rule is the solidification of low-temperature helium. Energy (heat) must be added to helium-3 and helium-4 for freezing to take place. Solidification and Supercooling Under certain conditions, a liquid may be cooled below its freezing point, yet not transition into a solid. This is known as supercooling  and it happens because most liquids crystallize to freeze. Supercooling may be readily observed by carefully freezing water. The phenomenon can occur when there is a lack of good nucleation sites from which solidification can proceed. Nucleation is when molecules from organized clusters. Once nucleation occurs, crystallization progresses until solidification happens. Solidification Examples Several examples of solidification may be found in everyday life, including: Freezing of water to form ice in an ice cube trayFormation of snowCongealing of bacon grease as it coolsSolidification of melted candle waxLava hardening into solid rock

To what extent do we need evidence to support our beliefs in different Essay

To what extent do we need evidence to support our beliefs in different areas of knowledge - Essay Example And the more the evidences are present -- evidences that are not contrary among one another -- in supporting a specific scientific belief, the more such belief becomes truthful or objective. In Bayesianism, evidences from a set of observational results for a particular hypothesis largely increase the â€Å"probability [or validity] of that hypothesis† (Achinstein 4). Furthermore, scientific belief greatly influences the person who holds such belief. Assuming that evidences validate a specific theory, the thought and action of the individual are strongly shaped by his or her belief system. For instance, a person who considers the existence or truthfulness of the so-called global warming will express, one way or the other, his or her belief of promoting and pursuing a kind of clean and green environment. Perhaps he or she will take this action to a much higher level (e.g., mass demonstration) if such person believes that the continued apathy of the government or state concerning global warming will theoretically result an environmental catastrophe. However, evidences do not make the natural science truly objective or free from error. ... But some scientists also claim that global warming does not exist; they contend that climate change or the increasing heat temperature experienced on the planet Earth is merely a natural phenomenon, which dates back to a hundred years. Moreover, the human specie is an evolving creature that has the natural capacity to adapt in the changing environment. Interpretation to particular evidence is far from objective or scientific. A set of data does not translate to a scientific theory or law. Whether the phenomenon of global warming is true or not, interpretation or deciphering the available observable data remains to be problematic. Going away from the much politicized science (i.e., global warming), the scientists in the Middle Ages believed that the Earth was the center of the cosmos, not the sun. Their evidence was that the common-sense perception of what they saw around them. In reply to Wittgenstein’s query, someone said, â€Å"Well, obviously, because it just looks as if t he sun is going around the earth† (qtd. in Dawkins 406). Thus, interpretation matters over a set of evidences. In history as the area of knowledge, evidences or sources are very essential in verifying the truthfulness of the claim or theory made by the historian. Especially historians who study ancient civilizations, sources are necessary in order to prove that their ideas or â€Å"beliefs† are true or accurate. And gathering a number of sources or evidences relevant to the study in question makes the historical record or writing truly comprehensive and objective. Undoubtedly, sources or evidences should be reliable (Child et al. 12). In addition, historical claim or belief influences the person’s mental

The Online Higher Education Market in the USA Essay

The Online Higher Education Market in the USA - Essay Example In online courses, professors are often referred to as facilitators. There are some similarities between taking online and a traditional course, but there are also a lot of differences. Students often are exposed to both types of courses in the curriculum of universities. The purpose of this paper is to compare and contrast traditional and online courses. In a traditional school, the majority of courses are taken on a semester basis. There are some school systems that offer trimester courses. The length of a semester is approximately five months, while trimesters are completed in about three months. Online schools are different in their scheduling. A lot of online schools offer courses in six-week spans. A student that takes six-week online courses can complete a master’s degree in 18 months instead of two years. Both online courses and traditional college courses are very challenging and require a full commitment from the students. The grading format of online courses is diff erent than in traditional courses. In traditional courses at universities, the teacher places a lot of weight on examinations. The exam grades often exceed 70% of the total value of the grade. An online course has a different emphasis. Professors in online courses allocate a low portion of the grade to exams and a larger portion to essays or term papers. The participation dynamics of an online course is much different than in a traditional course. In a physical college, the professor stands in front of a classroom and speaks to the class. Students are able to ask questions to interact with the professor. In such a scenario, the professor has full control of the material that is discussed in class. The dynamics in an online course is much different. Online classes utilize a classroom forum for participation purposes. The professor typically posts discussion questions for everyone to answer. The students are supposed to answer the question and also post replies about the answers of ot her students. In this dynamic, the student is more involved than in traditional courses.

The Types of Fallacies Essay Example for Free

The Types of Fallacies Essay * â€Å"Argument† from pity: when feeling sorry for someone drives us to a position on an unrelated matter * We have a job that needs doing; Helen can barely support her starving children and needs work desperately. But does Helen have the skills we need? We may not care if she does; and if we don’t, nobody can fault us for hiring her out of compassion. But feeling sorry for Helen may lead us to misjudge her skills or overestimate her abilities, and that is a mistake in reasoning. * â€Å"Argument† from envy: When we find fault with a person because of envy * â€Å"Well, he may have a lot of money but he certainly has bad manners† would be an example of this if it is envy that prompts us to criticize him. Apple Polishing: Pride can lead us to exaggerate our own accomplishments and abilities and lead to our making other irrelevant judgments * Moore recently sat on a jury in a criminal case involving alleged prostitution and pandering at a strip club; the defendant’s attorney told the members of the jury it would take â€Å"an unusually discerning jury† to see that the law, despite its wording, wasn’t really intended to apply to someone like his client. Ultimately the jury members did find with the defense, but let us hope it wasn’t because the attorney flattered their ability to discern things. Guilt trip: Eliciting feelings of guilt to get others to do or not do something, or to accept the view that they should or should not do it * â€Å"How could you not invite Trixie to your wedding? She would never do that to you and you know she must be very hurt. † The remark is intended to make someone feel sorry for Trixie, but even more fundamentally it is supposed to induce a sense of guilt. * Wishful thinking: when we accept or urge acceptance (or rejection) of a claim simply because it would be pleasant (or unpleasant) if it were true. Some people, for example, may believe in God simply on the basis of wishful thinking or desire for an afterlife. A smoker may refuse to acknowledge the health hazards of smoking. We’ve had students who are in denial about the consequences of cutting classes. * Peer pressure â€Å"argument†: A desire for acceptance can motivate us to accept a claim not because of its merits, but because we will gain someone’s approval (or will avoid having approval withdrawn). Group think: when one substitutes pride of membership in a group for reason and deliberation in arriving at a position on an issue; and let’s include the fallacy in our list of the top ten fallacies of all time, because it is exceedingly common. * involves one’s sense of group identification, which people experience when they are part of a group—a team, a club, a school, a gang, a state, a nation, the Elks, Wal-Mart, the U. S. A. Mauritius, you name it. * Nationalism (a form of â€Å"GROUP THINK†): a powerful and fierce emotion that can lead to blind endorsement of a country’s policies and practices. (â€Å"My country right or wrong† explicitly discourages critical thinking and encourages blind patriotism. ) Nationalism is also invoked to reject, condemn, or silence criticism of one’s country as unpatriotic or treasonable (and may or may not involve an element of peer pressure). If a letter writer expresses a criticism of America on the opinion page of your local newspaper on Monday, you can bet that by the end of the week there will be a response dismissing the criticism with the â€Å"argument† that if so-and-so doesn’t like it here, he or she ought to move to Russia (or Cuba or Afghanistan or Iraq). * Rationalizing: when we use a false pretext to satisfy our own desires or interests * Let’s say Mr. Smith decides to do something really nice for his wife on her birthday and buys her a new table saw. â€Å"This saw wasn’t cheap,† he tells her. But you’re going to be glad we have it, because it will keep me out in the garage and out of your way when you’re working here in the house. † * â€Å"Argument† from popularity: when we urge someone to accept a claim (or fall prey to someone’s doing it to us) simply on the grounds that all or most or some substantial number of people (other than authorities or experts, of course) believe it * â€Å"Argument† from common practice: trying to justify or defend an action or practice (as distinguished from an assertion or claim) on the grounds that it is common. â€Å"I shouldn’t get a speeding ticket because everyone drives over the limit† would be an example. â€Å"Everyone cheats on their taxes, so I don’t see why I shouldn’t† would be another. * â€Å"Argument† from tradition: People do things because that’s the way things have always been done, and they believe things because that’s what people have always believed * The fact that it’s a tradition among most American children to believe in Santa Claus, for instance, doesn’t prove Santa Claus exists; and the fact it’s also a tradition for most American parents to deceive their kids about Santa Claus doesn’t necessarily mean it is okay for them to do so.

Catcher In The Rye :: essays papers

Catcher In The Rye Holden Caulfield is teen angst bull-crap with a pickax. He's sarcastic, nasty, and completely unlikeable. He also doesn't give a crap. He is every teenager caught between the crapy little games of high school ("you're supposed to kill yourself if the football team loses or something") and the fear of adulthood ("going to get an office job and make a lot of money like the rest of the phonies"). The greatness in Holden Caulfield is that what he has to say is better than a million Celestine Prophecies or anything said by Jonathan Livingston Seagull (save for the squawks after you shoot him) or Jesus (save for the apocryphal "hey Peter I can see your house from here"). Holden Caulfield says that life sucks, everyone is a phony, and you'll be inevitably disappointed by everyone that you hold in awe. If you think that this sounds awful, ask yourself one question. When was the last time you found any joy in watching Barney or the Care Bears? It isn't just what he says but the way he says it. He goes through life making dead-on observations that completely shoot the kneecaps out from under the terminally self-righteous. When a successful mortician tells the school to follow his example and pray when things go bad, it is Holden Caulfield who points out that the guy is praying for more people to die. He's depressed by nuns and annoyed by shallow girlfriends, while in love with his platonic friend. Even more interesting is the fact that Caulfield's general pissed off attitude and his hormones are inextricably linked. He practically wants to kill his roommate, Stradlatter, because Stradlatter might have screwed a girl he desires. He guiltily admits to making out with phonies, and in a major confession he confesses to being a virgin. He gets the crap beat out of him by a disgruntled pimp after deciding that he doesn't want a to have sex with a prostitute for the silliest of reasons.(he just found it disconcerting to see her take her clothes off without fanfare.)The fact that his little brother has just died and that he's being kicked out of yet another school takes second place to the whole sex question. In other words, Holden Caulfield is a guy; stereotype away. What is also interesting is how closely Caulfield captures the attitude and culture of adolescence. There is the caste system in which Caulfield hates and wishes to be his roommate Stradlatter. Meanwhile zit-encrusted Ackley, whom he maybe should feel sympathy for, is an annoying guy that

Externalities – Essay

An externalities Is â€Å"an external effect, often unforeseen or unintended, accompanying a process or activity†. In the time of the Industrial Revolution, externalities were not thought of at all. Particularly in the field of energy, the only cost considered was the cost of production. The detrimental effect of the dirty energy on the environment was not factored in and, until recently, has not been thought of at all. The cost paid for fuel at the pump basically includes two things: production cost and profit margin.There Is one huge cost that Is not factored In though which Is the money that It costs to support a falling environment. Energy Is probably the most prevalent case of negative externalities there is. Not just fossil fuels but also the second largest energy provider, nuclear power, has huge negative externalities attached. The recent events in Japan have shown how expensive these supposedly cheap energies can become. The damage done by the melt down of the nuclear reactor after the earth quake will undoubtedly cost the Japanese billions of dollars to repair. This is only part of the cost though.The money for medical care will result in large expenditures as well. Neither of these costs is as devastating as the loss of life caused by such accidents though. The death toll and lingering health effects on the inhabitants of the area should also be major factors considered in the cost of â€Å"cheap† energy. This Is not the first occurrence either. Coherency and Three Male Island demonstrate how these resources, however many safety regulations they have In place, can still suffer from catastrophic events. The difficulty encountered with this though is short sightedness among the consumer.They want cheaper prices at the gas pump, and don't realize that if there is an oil spill that their tax money is going to have to help clean it up, as well as the prices at the pump going up as the market compensates. So the reaction to disasters arguably levels out the cost of the Inexpensive fuels. For some reason it seems that there have been more cataclysmic events in recent years than the past. This cannot exactly be statistically proven but it is easy to infer. With the population expansion, the demand for energy will continue to rise.And without moving forward on cleaner energies, the inexpensive energy Industry will error the growth of the population. This paired with the possibility of more frequent natural disasters Is not good. The roll of negative externalities will grow and people will realize the implications once it is too late. It is time to start factoring externalities into the cost of energy. This will spur the growth of alternative energies and move towards a safer system. The idea that only the cost of production should be factored in to something as dangerous as nuclear power seems to De an I removed. AAA let over Trot e a e Tinny century, Ana need s to De

Bully Prevention Program Essay

This program has become successful at the Midway elementary school in Utah, because it is ran off of four hallmarks which are: Lead to systematic change, garner commitment for all, teach comprehensive strategies and skills and continue year after year. Within the paper, I will discuss my belief of the succession of this type of program in an elementary school setting in inner city Philadelphia schools. Bully Prevention Program In recent years, bullying within schools has become one of the most serious issues we have been faced with. Data shows that children as young as age 11 have committed suicide because they were no longer able to deal with the pressure of being bullied. Because of this and other factors involving school bullying, congress have begun to work on a legislation called the safe school improvement act, which require schools to collect data and establish certain guidelines regarding disciplinary actions and they must also come up with a system to register complaints to combat bullying within their schools. However, since this is not a law that has been enacted, Brent Burnham, a school counselor at Midway Elementary School in Midway, Utah has decided to implement her own school wide bullying prevention program at her school. The bully prevention program at Midway elementary was implemented 7 years ago. Within the program, Burnham has developed four core principles that she believes has made their program successful. The first of the four principles is, lead to systematic change. This principle says that there must be a change within the school at all levels and there must be a change ithin the community as well, because in order for the program to be successful, you must change the culture of the schools environment. The second principle that Burnham implemented was garner commitment for all. This principle says that all of the schools staff, including the school bus driver, should be on board with the implementation of the program for the program to be a success. The third principle in the bully prevention program is, to teach comprehensive strategies and skills. This principle says that effective programs must be comprehensive and there are certain skills that are required by the staff so that they can identify a bullying situation. And the final principle is to continue year after year. In order for the program to be a full success, it must be consistent in what it provides. Often times, schools will start a program but will not follow through with it year after year and the program will then fizzle out. The bully prevention program at Midway elementary also has key components which are implemented sequentially. These components are, administrative support: you must have the support from the staff and the school administration, and a strong support team. Data: proper record keeping must be kept; also the program should be evaluated. Staff training: all staff should be trained on how to recognize and identify bullies and their victims and also be able to determine if a situation is a true violation of the no bullying policy that has been set forth. Student awareness and education: all should be fully aware of the bully policy and clear on the consequences if the policy is violated. There should also be lessons taught to the students about bullying and bully prevention. Critical social skills training to the students: Once the basics have been taught to the students, they will still need additional training on this policy so continuous guidance lesson plans will need to be developed and taught throughout the school. Lastly, targeted intervention for bullies and victims: by keeping proper records of the bullying incident that occur within the school, it will be easy to identify bullies and their targeted victims. Once these children are identified, there will be specific programs for these children. The bullies will express why it is they bully and help will be provided to those students and the victims so they can try to get over the fear they may have. After reading this article, I find that there are some pros and cons to this type program being implemented at inner city schools in Philadelphia. One pro of having this type of program would be to lower the crime rate within the schools. Often times, children bullying other children lead to more violent crimes, for instance, the shooting that happened at Columbine High School in Columbine, Colorado. Two students embarked on a massacre killing 12 of their classmates and one teacher because they were fed up with being bullied. By having this type of program and addressing these issues early, these types of crimes or less serious crimes can be prevented. Another pro to this type of program is that it teaches children social skills and teach them how to manager their anger and behavior. This program can increase the children’s level of awareness on how bullying can extremely affect their victims and themselves. Another pro to the bully prevention program is that it offers training to the staff. This is a great idea so that everyone will be on the same page in the fight to eliminate and prevent bullying. Also, providing intervention to the bullies is great as well. You have to teach children things while they are young. If this type of program is successfully implemented in elementary schools and in middle and high schools, bullying can be virtually eliminated. However, with pros, there are also cons to the program. One con is trying to get everyone on board. Within the city of Philadelphia, it is historically known that many parents do not partake in their child’s education in the manner that they should, this is one reason why the high school dropout rate is so high. So; trying to get parents on board for the no bullying program may be hard. Since this program is set up for all stakeholders to be involved, without parents help, the program may not be as successful. Another con to this program is the term and definition of bullying being misunderstood and misinterpreted by the staff that is to put into action the consequences for this behavior. What you do not want to happen is, children who are simply horse playing or just kidding around with one another being accused of bullying when that was not the case. The training to the staff must be thorough and put into clear plain terms so little is left to be assumed. With bullying becoming an epidemic, I believe this type of program is definitely needed and has the potential to be successful within all levels of schools within the School District of Philadelphia. The program may need to be tweaked for each grade level (elementary, middle and high school) but if it is implemented properly it could be a success. School counselors are in a unique position with having to put in place such a program and to be sure that it work, but this is why they are trained very well to address these types of social emotional behaviors. Although the pros of having such a program out weight the cons, the major problem that could be a potential road block for implementing the program is funding. The School District of Philadelphia has reached a plateau in its budget deficit and recently laid off many of its employees including the superintendent. However, with the right proposal for the program, I can not see this being turned down by the board. I think this is something that is definitely needed so that we as counselors can save our children and our community. References Burnham, Brent. (2011, July 1). School wide bully prevention program. http://schoolcounselor. membershipsoftware. org/article_content. asp? article=1215.

Jews Without Money essays

Jews Without Money essays Personal struggles, we all have them. Some have them more than others. In the partly autobiographical novel Jews Without Money, By Michael Gold, He depicts how the Jews struggled to make ends meet. His life was not easy growing up. Gold and his brothers were forced by poverty to get low-paying, unskilled jobs. They were forced to drop out of high school to support the family. Their father was a small businessman. His big dream was to own a business, but he didnt know how to run it. He ended up injuring himself at work and therefore in turn, confined to his bed Life was hard for Mike living in the ghetto of the Lower East Side of New York City. For centuries The Jews has lived in this universal ghetto. Yiddish literature is saturated with the ghetto melancholy and poverty. Jews Without Money is much compared with works such as All Souls by Michael Patrick Macdonald. Michael Gold was a communist all his life. Gold helped found "The New Masses," a literary periodical intended to "revive the spirit of the old Bohemian-left-liberal alliance." Gold was a journalist for the Communist press from 1933 off and on for the next thirty-three years. He developed radical political views and began contributing to socialist journals such as the Masses and the Call. Gold was strong opponent of the United States becoming involved in the First World War. When the USA entered the war in 1917 Gold moved to Mexico to evade the draft. All Souls, by Michael Patrick Macdonald was also a book about struggle. South Boston was also a ghetto and Michael and his family try to survive in a harsh world. His Sisters and Michael saw first hand, all the cruelty that went down in a place called The best place in the world. This book is related to Jews Without Money because they both came from poor backgrounds. McDonald and his family struggled to make ends meet. Go ...

The Glass Menagerie, a Play by Tennessee Williams

The Glass Menagerie, a Play by Tennessee Williams The Glass Menagerie  play is a melancholy family drama written by Tennessee Williams. It was first performed on Broadway in 1945, meeting with astounding box-office success and a Drama Critics Circle Award. The Characters In the introduction of The Glass Menagerie, the playwright describes the personalities of the drama’s main characters. Amanda Wingfield: Mother of two adult children, Tom and Laura. â€Å"A little woman of great vitality clinging frantically to another time and place...†Ã¢â‚¬Å"Her life is paranoia†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â‚¬Å"Her foolishness makes her unwittingly cruel†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â‚¬Å"There is tenderness in her slight person†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Laura Wingfield: Six years out of high school. Incredibly shy and introverted. She fixates on her collection of glass figurines. She has â€Å"failed to establish contact with reality†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â‚¬Å"A childhood illness has left her crippled, one leg slightly shorter than the other†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â‚¬Å"She is like a piece of her own glass collection, too exquisitely fragile†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Tom Wingfield: The poetic, frustrated son who works at a mindless warehouse job, supporting his family after his father left home for good. He also serves as the play’s narrator. â€Å"His nature is not remorseless†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â‚¬Å"To escape from a trap (his overbearing mother and crippled sister) he has to act without pity.† Jim O’Connor: The gentleman caller who has dinner with the Wingfields during the second part of the play. He is described as a â€Å"nice, ordinary young man.† Setting The entire play takes place in the Wingfield’s meager apartment, located next to an alley in St. Louis. When Tom begins narrating he draws the audience back to the 1930s. Plot Summary Mrs. Wingfield’s husband abandoned the family â€Å"a long time ago.† He sent a postcard from Mazatlan, Mexico that simply read: â€Å"Hello – and Good-bye!† With the absence of the father, their home has become emotionally and financially stagnant. Amanda clearly loves her children. However, she constantly reprimands her son about his personality, his fledgling job, and even his eating habits. Tom: I haven’t enjoyed one bite of this dinner because of your constant directions on how to eat it. It’s you that makes me rush through meals with your hawk-like attention to every bite I take. Even though Tom’s sister is painfully shy, Amanda expects Laura to be more outgoing. The mother, in contrast, is very sociable and reminisces about her days as a southern belle who once received seventeen gentlemen callers in a single day. Laura has no hopes or ambitions for her future. She quit her typing class because she was too shy to take the speed exam. Laura’s only apparent interest seems to be her old music records and her â€Å"glass menagerie,† a collection of animal figurines. Meanwhile, Tom is itching to leave the household and seek adventure in the wide-open world, instead of being held prisoner by his dependent family and a dead-end job. He often stays out late at night, claiming to go to the movies. (Whether or not he watches the movies or engages in some sort of covert activity is debatable). Amanda wants Tom to find a suitor for Laura. Tom scoffs at the idea at first, but by evening he informs his mother that a gentleman caller will be visiting the following night. Jim O’Connor, the potential suitor, went to high school with both Tom and Laura. During that time, Laura had a crush on the handsome young man. Before Jim visits, Amanda dresses in a beautiful gown, reminding herself of her once-glorious youth. When Jim arrives, Laura is petrified to see him again. She can barely answer the door. When she finally does, Jim shows no trace of remembrance. Out on the fire escape, Jim and Tom discuss their futures. Jim is taking a course on public speaking to become an executive. Tom reveals that he will soon be joining the merchant marines, thereby abandoning his mother and sister. In fact, he purposefully failed to pay the electricity bill in order to join the seaman’s union. During dinner, Laura – faint with shyness and anxiety – spends most of the time on the sofa, away from the others. Amanda, however, is having a wonderful time. The lights suddenly go out, but Tom never confesses the reason! By candlelight, Jim gently approaches the timid Laura. Gradually, she begins to open up to him. He is delighted to learn that they went to school together. He even remembers the nickname he gave to her: â€Å"Blue Roses.† Jim: Now I remember – you always came in late. Laura: Yes, it was so hard for me, getting upstairs. I had that brace on my leg – it clumped so loud! Jim: I never heard any clumping. Laura (wincing at the recollection): To me it sounded like thunder! Jim: Well, well, well. I never even noticed. Jim encourages her to be more self-confident. He even dances with her. Unfortunately, he bumps a table, knocking over a glass unicorn figurine. The horn breaks, making the figurine just like the rest of the horses. Surprisingly, Laura is able to laugh about the situation. She clearly likes Jim. Finally, he declares: Somebody needs to build your confidence up and make you proud instead of shy and turning away and- blushing- Somebody ought to- ought to- kiss you, Laura! They kiss. For a moment, the audience might be lured into thinking that everything will work out happily. For a moment, we can imagine: Jim and Laura falling in love.Amanda’s dreams for Laura’s security coming true.Tom finally escaping the â€Å"trap† of family obligations. Yet, a moment after the kiss, Jim backs away and decides, â€Å"I shouldn’t have done that.† He then reveals that he is engaged to a nice girl named Betty. When he explains that he will not be back to visit again, Laura bravely smiles. She offers him the broken figurine as a souvenir. After Jim leaves, Amanda scolds her son for bringing an already-spoken-for gentleman caller. As they fight, Tom exclaims: Tom: The more you shout about my selfishness to me the quicker I’ll go, and I won’t go to the movies! Then, Tom assumes the role of the narrator as he did in the play’s beginning. He explains to the audience how he soon left his family behind, running away just as his father did. He spent years traveling abroad, yet something still haunted him. He escaped the Wingfield household, but his dear sister Laura was always on his mind. The Final Lines Oh, Laura, Laura, I tried to leave you behind me, but I am more faithful than I intended to be! I reach for a cigarette, I cross the street, I run into the movies or a bar, I buy a drink, I speak to the nearest stranger- anything that can blow your candles out! For nowadays the world is lit by lightning! Blow out your candles, Laura – and so good-bye†¦

Developing as a manager Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Developing as a manager - Essay Example Skills Learnt over the Semester One skill that I developed during the course of the semester was analytical skills. Analytical skills are defined as the thought process that is needed in the effective evaluation of information (Metz, 2009: p90). Examining problems in the classroom setting thoroughly needs one to pay attention to detail and keep their focus. For instance, the use of case studies required the class to show high analytical skill levels to come up with proposals for the tutor. Analytical skills are tested in this case by the pressures of time required to complete the case studies. It will be important to graduate from University with strong analytical skills to be able to seek required information, process it, and make decisions that are feasible and defendable. My analytical skills have also been developed through identification of an author’s main arguments, critical evaluation of their argument, identification of their hidden agendas that makes their claims que stionable and missing information that could swing the argument, and evaluation of evidence provided in the text. These factors are important in making final decisions about the veracity of information, and whether to act on it (Metz, 2009: p90). ... Developing academic integrity in my writing is important because it will ensure that I graduate with the required skills to become a manager. It also enhances the learning experience by ensuring that one realizes where they are academically in relation to other students, rather than giving a show of successful academic work that gives one a false sense of achievement. This is dangerous in the management world since employees can tell if the manager is taking advantage of their work as his/her own. In addition, integrity is a character quality (Metz, 2009: p91), and developing it while at university will be reflected in my later professional work. This semester, I also developed my skills in accessing library resources by using the university library for my academic work. Conducting research was an important part of my academic semester in the writing process and, in order to conduct the best research I could, I sought to locate information at the school library, organize it, and eval uate it. Libraries are an important primary research source, especially for academic research, and developing my skills on how to use the library was important in understanding how to carry out the process of research. Finding the right information is crucial in management as it helps in decision making, and solving of problems and challenges (Metz, 2009: p95). By using the library to access required resources, there was a wealth of information that helped me in making proposals in case studies. In addition, using the library to access resources showed that there are many sources of information and knowing how to access them is essential to coming up with the right conclusions and decisions. I also developed my skills at interpreting and